This is a report of Kenya’s first National Oral Health Survey. Kenya’s oral health statistics previously available was in the form of research articles from investigators who carried out research on specific populations. They studies were not representative of the country. This presented challenges in decision making because of limited evidence thus adversely affecting the provision of appropriate oral health care services. The information presented in this document provides a larger oral health profile of the Kenyan population collected in one study. The study sample was drawn to represent key strata of the population including urban, peri-urban and rural segments. Due consideration was given to include special groups like the pastoralist communities while at the same time ensuring that all regions of the country were represented as per the survey methods by the World Health Organization (WHO). The distribution of various oral conditions by age and gender in the sampled regions is presented. The report further presents information on oral health knowledge of the Kenyan population as well as oral health treatment seeking behaviour.
This survey report provides up-to-date information on Kenya’s oral health status. The report is expected to draw the attention of oral health stakeholders including policy makers, health managers among others. Furthermore, it forms a benchmark for future research in oral health in Kenya and the East African region. Provision of oral health care services appropriately is important for a healthy population. Moreover information regarding the availability of insurance coverage among Kenyans is key in determining access to oral health services. The cost of dental health care is high and as such the government should allocate this health subsector significant funding.
This survey report is expected to be useful to the oral health stakeholders in Kenya and beyond. The information will be useful in planning oral health care delivery in Kenya and thus improve the oral health of the populations. The Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, the University of Nairobi, Moi University, the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC), the Kenya Dental Association (KDA), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) among others will particularly find this report useful in executing their oral health agenda.
I wish to congratulate the persons who made this document available for the job well done. Research is a dynamic area and therefore I encourage them and others to keep track of the emerging issues in oral health and further research on them. This is critical in the practice of evidence based dentistry.
Dr Khadijah Kassachoon
Principal Secretary, Ministry of Health